This column highlights the performances of maidens who have made no more than five starts and who either sold for more than $500,000 at public auction, have siblings that are graded/group winners, or have dams that are graded/group winners. BloodHorse research shows maiden winners who meet these criteria are more likely to go on to be graded stakes winners.
Del Mar
Although the first 2-year-olds to strut across the Del Mar track have only just been unveiled this past week, it’s doubtful we’ll see a debut performance as electrifying as the one put forth by Heartland in the first race July 29.
A half brother to the brilliant but quirky 2016 champion 2-year-old male and three-time grade 1 winner Classic Empire , Heartland nearly lost all chance at the start with a horribly awkward jump out of the gate. Bobbling, he veered inward, and the bright red colt found himself nine lengths behind the pacesetters into the first quarter of the 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight.
Under steady encouragement from jockey J.J. Hernandez, Heartland began eating up the ground with long, fluid strides. As he drew within striking distance of the third- and fourth-positioned horses into the turn, however, the colt noticeably picked up his knees, climbing greenly behind his rivals. Clearly uncomfortable with the kickback, Hernandez angled Heartland back to the inside rail and the son of Justify began extending powerfully once more, roaring up the fence.
Heartland surged by the frontrunning Slider , a $240,000 West Point Thoroughbreds purchase, in the final sixteenth for a two-length victory in a final time of 1:03.20.
#1 HEARTLAND ($3.60) overcomes a bobbled break with @JJHernandezS19 aboard to convincingly win the opener at @DelMarRacing for trainer @BobBaffert. This 2-year-old son of Justify is also a half-brother to Classic Empire.
A Pick 4 starts in Race 2. Bet on the TVG app. pic.twitter.com/HV4cd2VcgU
— TVG (@TVG) July 29, 2023
Heartland offered plenty of star power for the first yearling consignment offered by Highgate Sales at the 2022 Keeneland September Sale. The gavel dropped at $575,000 on the colt to Siena Farm, China Horse Club, and WinStar Farm. China Horse Club, Heartland’s breeder, and WinStar Farm were two of the partners behind the colt’s Triple Crown-winning sire Justify.
Joining the barn of Bob Baffert, also the trainer of Justify, Heartland turned heads in the morning in Southern California with a :46 2/5 bullet half-mile move out the gate July 14 at Santa Anita Park. Prior to his debut win, he scorched five furlongs in :59 4/5 in his initial work over the Del Mar surface July 22.
The ninth foal from the Cat Thief mare Sambuca Classica, the dam of seven winners including four black-type performers, Heartland echoed the feat of his Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1)-winning brother Classic Empire with his first-time-out score. Classic Empire, the sire of this year’s Kentucky Derby (G1) third-place finisher and Arkansas Derby (G1) victor Angel of Empire , streaked to victories in his debut, the Bashford Manor Stakes (G3), and Breeders’ Futurity (G1) ahead of his Breeders’ Cup tally. Brought back as a 3-year-old for John Oxley and trainer Mark Casse, the son of Pioneerof the Nile captured the Arkansas Derby before finishing a hard-luck fourth in that year’s Derby. He then nearly became a classic winner when just failing to outlast Cloud Computing in a thrilling renewal of the 2017 Preakness Stakes (G1). Retired to Ashford Farm later that year, he now sits in fourth atop the third crop sires list.
BloodHorse Maiden Watch | |||||||
Notable maiden winners for week of July 24-July 30 | |||||||
Date | Track | Race | Horse | Sire | Dam | Start | Maiden Watch eligibility criteria |
7/27 | CNL | 1 | Tok Tok* | Quality Road | In Tune | 1 | Dam is a G2SW |
7/27 | WO | 9 | Ready Shakespeare | More Than Ready | Lady Shakespeare | 1 | Dam is a G2SW; Half Sibling to G1SW Lady Speightspeare |
7/28 | SAR | 6 | Faraday | Ghostzapper | Dynaire | 2 | Half Sibling to G1SW Sadler’s Joy |
7/29 | DMR | 1 | Heartland* | Justify | Sambuca Classica | 1 | Half Sibling to G1SW Classic Empire |
7/29 | MTH | 3 | D’lightful Summer* | City of Light | Hot Summer | 1 | Dam is a G3SW |
7/30 | ELP | 8 | Pensacola | Into Mischief | Stormy Regatta | 2 | $600k 2YO |
7/30 | SAR | 1 | Miz Sense* | Street Sense | Miz Kella | 1 | $500k Yearling; Half Sibling to G3SW Canoodling |
* denotes 2-year-old
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